Strength in Letting Go

Hey y'all!

I hope this post finds you doing well and staying warm. It's been a while since my last post and there are a million reasons why I have been such a slacker.

As you may know, I injured 3 fingers on my left hand in September, 2009. Several surgeries and countless trips to the torcher chick {therapy} later, I am left with fingers that won't straighten. They are in a permanent bend, and will be for the rest of my life. I'm also experiencing nerve issues because of all the trauma my fingers have been through.

Dealing with the day to day of functioning with this slight disability, it has forced me to take a hard look at my life, both personally and professionally. The statement of "you don't realize how much you miss something until it's gone", is an understatement. I figured it was my left hand and not my right hand, which is dominant. Once it healed, how bad could it be?

There are many duties or actions I can no longer perform without my hand interfering. I'm here with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart to announce I will not be manufacturing cruelty free and vegan bath and body products as of April 1, 2011.

I'm a perfectionist to a fault and was raised to be a hard worker and put 100% of myself into everything that I do. I am no longer 100% because of my hand, and I am not one to offer any less to my customers.

Cactus & Ivy was created on April 1, 2000 and it only seems fitting to close down the manufacturing on the same day, especially since I have a little "OCD" in me that wouldn't have it any other way. The site reflects changes that have already taken place, as in the removal of products that are no longer available for retail.

Cactus & Ivy will remain a company and I am planning to have other projects under its umbrella. Once I have all the particulars nailed down, I will announce what is to be next on this journey.

I've been my own boss for close to 11 years. I know for a fact I would make a terrible employee, just because I've been doing my own thing for so long. I am taking the front seat in my other venture, Personal Care Truth, that I co-founded with Kristin Fraser Cotte with The Grapeseed Company.

Even though I will not be manufacturing personal care products, I believe in the truth and will continue to fight for all the manufacturers in the industry, both big and small. For those that know me well, know that I stand firm in my beliefs and I can be just as loud, if not louder, when it comes to standing up for the truth.

Thank you for making my dream a reality. For the business, feedback, comments and press for the past 11 years. I've met some fabulous people and gained valuable friendships over the years. I'm confident that the trail I blaze will always be associated with the cosmetic industry. It's in my blood. This decision would be unbearable if it weren't for the love and support of my husband, family and friends.

I leave you with a quote that I shared with a friend that was moving forward in her life. “Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong - sometimes it's letting go."

Thanks for stopping by y'all! Have a fabulous day!

Risk!

Hey Y'all - Today I'm sharing with you a fabulous post by Dene Godfrey. Enjoy and if you have any questions or comments, they are always welcome!




In recent years there has been an ever-increasing tendency for the media and many pressure groups to publicise negative reports on synthetic chemicals, using emotive words such as “toxic”, “dangerous”, “nasty” and “polluting”. Even accepting the official legal (EU) definition of “toxic”, very few of the chemicals under attack are truly toxic, but the main point is that the reports usually focus on the hazard(s) identified with the chemical in question.

Identification of the hazards is important, but it is only the first step in a broader process. If only the hazard is known, the information is almost useless, partly because all chemicals have a hazard associated with them. Water, for example, has an inhalation hazard; sodium chloride (common salt) increases blood pressure to dangerous levels at fairly low doses. It is possible to identify a hazard for any chemical, given a high enough concentration and an appropriate route of exposure.

Once the hazard has been identified, the next (and most important) stage is to determine the level of exposure. This enables calculation of the risk involved in its use:

RISK = HAZARD x EXPOSURE

Risk is much more important than hazard. To give two examples from everyday life where we almost subconsciously calculate risk:

1) Crossing the road. Here is an obvious hazard – getting hit, possibly killed, by a moving vehicle. If you only take the hazard into consideration, you would never cross a road – ever! This would clearly be nonsensical, and we all calculate the risk and choose a safe moment to cross. This is exactly the same principle as that which should be applied to the use of chemicals.

2) Taking paracetamol. Each day, millions of people take paracetamol tablets as a headache cure. Paracetamol is a chemical, and it is hazardous. As few as 12 standard tablets can cause irreversible liver damage and a slow, agonising death. So why do people expose themselves to such a dangerous chemical? The answer is because exposure to the lower levels contained in the one or two tablets typically consumed have no significant adverse effect. Low exposure reduces the risk to an acceptable level.

Telling people not to use a chemical because of its hazard is, therefore, highly misleading. If we were not to use chemicals solely based on their hazards, we would have to exist in a total vacuum!

There is also the common occurrence of “implied hazard”. For example, there are many accounts of the use of propylene glycol in cosmetic products, where the article claims that this is used as antifreeze as though this obviously, therefore, makes the compound unsuitable for cosmetic use. This is a common internet myth and, in fact, it is ethylene glycol that is used in antifreeze! However, the principle remains the same and, whilst skin contact with neat propylene glycol is not recommended, it is only slightly irritating (although it can increase the transport of other, less desirable compounds through the skin) but it is not particularly hazardous. At the much lower concentrations used in personal care products, the irritation potential is reduced to insignificance. There is no correlation between its (alleged) use in antifreeze and its use in cosmetics. This principal applies equally to other ingredients that are used in cosmetics and also in other applications.

Unfortunately, the scientific community must shoulder some responsibility for this situation. There are many examples of studies that have identified a hazard that has been publicised by the authors before any attempt has been made to assess the risk. In the absence of the correct context provided by the risk assessment, the media are free to revel in the negative connotations – bad news is always better than good news!

In summary, whilst the hazard can be useful information, it bears no relation to reality until the risk is assessed. If the approach we adopt to risk in our everyday lives was applied to the use of chemicals, the world may be a slightly better, less neurotic place!

__________________

This post originally appeared on Personal Care Truth

Doing Nothing?

Hey Y'all -

I hope this post finds you doing well. A tweet came through my stream last week that is the inspiration for this post.

The Safe Cosmetics Act 2010 was released last week. If this bill passes, the cosmetic industry will change which will trickle down to you, the consumer. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group are proponents of this bill. They are telling any and everyone that will buy into their propaganda that cosmetic manufacturers are putting anything they want in cosmetics because the industry is not regulated. That is so far from the truth and typical of these organizations. The FDA regulates the cosmetic industry.

The Safe Cosmetics Act 2010 will not benefit consumers or the small cosmetic manufacturer. People who buy into what the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the Environmental Working Group are peddling are in for a huge surprise if this bill passes. Consumers need to get involved with this proposed legislation draft. This brings me to the quote.

Never act until you have clearly answered the question: "What happens if I do nothing? ~ Robert Brault

If we do nothing, this bill may pass and some of your favorite personal care products could disappear. Cactus & Ivy would surely close up shop because I could not afford the additional costs this proposed bill would place on my company. Many small businesses would be in the same boat as me.

Variety is the spice of life. Don't you want to have that same variety in your choices for personal care products? There are so many talented companies on the market now and the small cosmetic manufacturers are bringing a great deal of innovation to the table. That innovation would no longer exist. Big box manufacturers would be the only choices you would have.

Take time to read the bill. Also, visit my other company, Personal Care Truth for a wealth of information on personal care products. We can't afford to do nothing. We need to fight this with every inch of our being. Cactus & Ivy opposes the Safe Cosmetics Act 2010. Will you join me?

Thanks for stopping by y'all. Have a great day!





Chief Guinea Chick
Cactus & Ivy

Personal Care Truth | It's Finally Here!

Hey y'all

I hope this post finds you doing well. It's been a while since a post, my apologies. Today is a wonderful day for me. A few months ago I had a dream about all the misconceptions and half truths surrounding the cosmetic industry. I woke the next day with a feeling of urgency that something had to be done.

I contacted my uber cool surfing friend on the left coast, Kristin Fraser Cotte. Kristin is the CEO of The Grapeseed Company, located in California. I told Kristin about my dream, hoping she wouldn't hang the phone up mid sentence. Thankfully, Kristin listened, agreed and then we started working on a plan.

I'd like to introduce you to Personal Care Truth!

Personal Care Truth is not about scare tactics, generalizations, fear mongering, or hopping aboard what’s considered trendy at the moment.

Personal Care Truth is about education, facts, questions, research, sharing knowledge, and empowering consumers to make the choice that’s right for their families. We welcome your questions and submissions; let’s combine our resources and share scientific based information on personal care products with the world.

We believe it is more powerful to provide information to educate and empower YOU as opposed to scaring you with information that has not been backed by science.

You know how much I love feedback and I'd love to hear what you have to say. Leave your comments here or hop on over to Personal Care Truth and give us your thoughts.

If you're on Twitter, we can be found @prsnalcaretruth

Thanks for stopping by y'all. Hope you have a great day!

Creator Extraordinaire
Cactus & Ivy